NEW LECTURES OF OLD

In many of the Academic courses given by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences the lecturer is merely a gramophone repeating the content of prescribed texts. The matter of such lectures is rarely inspiring, rarely contains important commentary, and is frequently only evidence of the effort of the lecturer to fulfill his obligation to the University by speaking for a full hour three times each week. Indeed, the professor who turned to the toastmaster, saying, "I am wound up to speak fifty-five minutes. I must apologize in advance," spoke with lamentable accuracy.

Fortunately for the undergraduate who is not addicted to day-dreaming there remain a few courses in which the lectures fulfill a more worthy purchase. In such courses the lecturer, realizing that most of the material of the course is adequately presented in easily obtainable texts, devotes his remarks to the elucidation of more obscure facts and commentary upon debatable points. A Utopian course is, however, a rarity. English 52, as an example, stands out in pleasant contrast to the majority of courses in that department. The lectures, held only twice each week, are alleged to be of little importance in the mere answering of examination questions, but of ineffable value in providing the student with an understanding of the period under consideration and the personalities discussed. They are disdained to give interesting details of contemporary life, and to present, but in no wise enforce, Professor Greenough's opinions of the writers studied.

The purpose of the lectures in English 52 is indeed admirable. A few other instructors have realized advantages of such a method, but the great majority of lecturers in academic courses still insist on reviewing the facts of the course at each meeting. These men would do well to take their cue from Professor Greenough and replace stagnant repetition of facts with enlightening commentary on background and personalities.